There is a fascinating scenario which occurred in John chapter 11. Lazarus was terribly sick to an extent that his sisters (Mary and Martha) sent a message to Jesus to urgently come and attend to him.
‘When Jesus heard the message, He said, THIS SICKNESS IS NOT UNTO DEATH….but for the glory of God…’! (John 11:4)
Wow! Did Jesus just say……Lazarus sickness won’t lead to death? So according to Jesus, Lazarus’ sickness would not end up in death? But I was surprised to hear what vs 14 says about Lazarus’ sickness!
‘Then said Jesus unto them plainly, LAZARUS IS DEAD’! (John 11:14)
Huh? It was the same Jesus who said concerning Lazarus: ‘THIS SICKNESS IS NOT UNTO DEATH’… that also said… ‘LAZARUS IS DEAD’! How do we fix this?
Now listen carefully: the day you became born again, God gave you eternal life… and promised that NO ONE can ever snatch you out of His hands! (John 10:28-29)
This is because the day you became born again, you became the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD (incorruptible righteousness)!
‘…For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him…’ (2Cor 5:21).
That is your ‘STATUS’ in Christ! But as time goes on….you could find yourself in some unclean habits. That is your ‘STATE’ in this world.
Now the paradox sets in. Your present ‘STATE’ wants to prove your eternal ‘STATUS’ wrong. God has already declared you eternally ‘RIGHTEOUS’ through the death of Christ…but it is clear that you have some ‘UNRIGHTEOUS’ manifestations in your life. God has said Lazarus WOULD NOT DIE… but it is clear that… LAZARUS IS DEAD. Are you getting the picture?
Here is the deal: never judge your STATUS by your STATE! Never judge your PORTION by your CONDITION!Never judge your CERTAINTY by yourCIRCUMSTANCE!If God has declared you ‘righteous’ based on your’faith’ in the finished work of Christ, it isIMPOSSIBLE for anything to undo that righteousness.
‘For by one offering hath He (Jesus) PERFECTED FOREVER them that are sanctified’! (Heb. 10:14)
One clear truth of scriptures is that the ‘SEED’ by which you became ‘born again’ can NEVER be ‘CORRUPTED’.
‘Being Born again, not of CORRUPTIBLE seed, but of INCORRUPTIBLE….’ (1Peter 1:23)
That right there is an unarguable truth of your salvation. When Jesus later came to the house of Lazarus, Martha (Lazarus’ sister) ran to meet Jesus, saying:
‘Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died’! (Vs 21)
Jesus’ response in the next 4 verses is so striking.
‘…he that believeth in me, THOUGH HE WERE DEAD, yet SHALL HE LIVE…’! (John 11:25)
Wow! Though you were DEAD… as long as you have God’s promise of eternal life… YET SHALL YOU LIVE!!! Your salvation is NOT dependent on your ‘condition’! Your Salvation is totally dependent on the ‘FINISHED WORK’! Many believers are yet to realize that reason why they still struggle with sinful addictions is that they have FORGOTTEN that they are already made RIGHTEOUS in Christ. Before the devil can translate an attitude into an addiction, he must utilize the currency of condemnation and make you forget that you have been totally forgiven…and that God no longer sees you in the old nature of sin. I got a scripture for this.
‘But he that lackest these things (godly habits)….is BLIND,….and CANNOT SEE AFAR OFF,….and hath FORGOTTEN THAT HE WAS PURGED FROM HIS OLD SINS. (2Peter 1:9)
Wow! Please get this: until you WAKE UP to the New Covenant realities, you will keep finding yourself in the viscous cycle of sin!!! I got a scripture for that too.
‘AWAKE to righteousness, and SIN not…’ (1cor15:34)
Oh the multitude of “dozing” believers! Meanwhile… Stop thinking that a teaching like this would give a license to sin! That’s so immature. When Jesus rose from the dead, He said:
‘And these signs shall follow them that BELIEVE; In my name…if they drink ANY deadly thing, it
SHALL NOT HURT THEM’! (Mark 16:17-18)
Such a promise. Now only a ‘child’ or a ‘fool’ will say… since Jesus said if I take any deadly thing, it will not hurt me… it therefore means I can begin to drink poisons everyday! That is the same way it is when people think the teaching of GRACE means that people should go on sinning!
Listen: GRACE does not make you live IN sin! GRACE makes you live ABOVE sin!
And Grace does this by pointing you back to what Jesus has already done for you; thereby empowering you to go and SIN NO MORE! (John 8:11) Hallelujah.
In conclusion: what Jesus had initially said concerning Lazarus was what eventually manifested.
‘And he that was dead….CAME FORTH…’! (John 11:44)
Indeed, the SICKNESS WAS NOT UNTO DEATH…but to the Glory of God! Glory to God!
Always remember: never judge your STATUS by your STATE! Never judge your PORTION by your CONDITION! And never judge your CERTAINTY by your CIRCUMSTANCES!
‘…for if Christ be in you, the body is DEAD because of sin; but the Spirit is LIFE because of righteousness.’ (Romans 8:10)
Amen.
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